Will Auburn win the battle for James Branch on decision day?
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Recruiting news has slowed down drastically for the Auburn Tigers after a solid June, but Alex Golesh and his staff are still in the running for a three-star defensive back from Maryland.
Three-star safety James Branch will announce his commitment on Saturday, with Auburn, Maryland, Virginia Tech, and Stanford being the final schools in the running. Will the Auburn Tigers win the battle and land another talented defensive piece from Maryland?
Heading into decision day, the race for Branch's pledge is down to the wire. Rivals gives the edge to Maryland on Saturday, but the Terrapins only boast a 34% chance to earn Branch's commitment. Virginia Tech is next in line with a 23% forecast, followed by Auburn at 19%. Only one program holds a crystal ball from 247Sports, Maryland. Publisher of InsideMDSports, Jeff Ermann, submitted his prediction on Friday, July 10, that favored the Terrapins.
With the race being so close, what gives Auburn a shot to come away with Branch's commitment? Branch plays safety for St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, Maryland, which has turned into an Auburn football factory over the last few seasons.
Six players on Auburn football's 2026 roster played high school football at St. Frances, including wide receiver Jeremiah Koger, linebacker Bryce Deas, and cornerback Blake Woodby. Since 2024, Auburn football has signed four recruits from St. Frances to its high school recruiting classes. This cycle, three players from Maryland have committed to play for Auburn, but none of them attend St. Frances.
Will Branch choose Auburn? Branch will announce his commitment on Saturday at 3 p.m. CT. If Auburn lands Branch, it will be the Tigers' 26th commitment of the 2027 recruiting cycle, adding to an already talented signing class that ranks No. 11 heading into Saturday.
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This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Will Auburn win the battle for James Branch on decision day?
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